I believe it is now certain that the commissioners on the British debts
can proceed together no longer. I am told that our two have prepared a
long report, which will perhaps be made public. The result will be,
that we must recur again to negotiation, to settle the principles of the
British claims. You know that Congress rises on the 3rd of March, and
that if you have acceded to my prayers, I should hear from you at
least a week before our rising. Accept my affectionate salutations, and
assurances of the sincere esteem with which I am, Dear Sir, your friend
and servant,
Th: Jefferson.
LETTER CCXLIX.--TO JAMES MADISON, February 19, 1799
TO JAMES MADISON.
Philadelphia, February 19, 1799.
Dear Sir,
I wrote you last on the 11th; yesterday the bill for the eventual
army of thirty regiments (thirty thousand) and seventy-five thousand
volunteers, passed the Senate. By an amendment, the President was
authorized to use the volunteers for every purpose for which he can
use militia, so that the militia are rendered completely useless. The
friends of the bill acknowledge that the volunteers are a militia, and
agreed that they might properly be called the 'Presidential militia.'
They are not to go out of their State without their own consent.
Consequently, all service out of the State is thrown on the
constitutional militia, the Presidential militia being exempted
from doing duty with them.
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